how much pressure to fire a tennis ball 15m?

Cannons powered by pneumatic pressure (compressed gas) using a valve or other release.
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blandy10
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Hi everyone! Im doing a school project and what im making is a pneumatically powered spud gun (obviously). I was just wondering, roughly how much psi would I need to fire a standard tennis ball a reasonable distance? (15+ Meters or about 49 Feet)
Please help!
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Crna Legija
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Changes with the dimensions of the cannon, download GGDT read the instructions on the usage page then run the numbers.
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POLAND_SPUD
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short answer ? Not much
achieving 15meters is not a problem
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MrCrowley
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The amount of psi required is inversely proportional to the length of a piece of string.

Buy 3' of PVC pipe that fits a tennis ball. Use 1.5' for the barrel and 1.5' for the chamber. Attach a sprinkler valve between the two pieces of pipe. Pressurise to ~20PSI and then fire. You should get 15m out of such a design.
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blandy10
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thanks guys! ill try that out!
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beastmode986
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make a ball valve cannon and fill it to 50 psi you should get 50ft if you open the ball vaalve fast
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Gun Freak
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I'm thinking you won't even need a sprinkler valve, I'd go with a ball valve, 3/4" should do.
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MrCrowley
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Just thinking...why not go with a slingshot?
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Gun Freak
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MrCrowley wrote:Just thinking...why not go with a slingshot?
school project
Build a cannon ->> look awesome.
Make a slingshot ->> look lame! Unless you build a Sprave slingshot which I highly doubt :D
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Zeus
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In my experience one's arm does a fine job of launching a tennis ball, with variable range too!
/sarcasm, /hyperbole
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blandy10
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I should probe add some more detail, Im planning to make the entire thing remotely activated, that means it is able to raise, lower and possibly even pivot remotely, if it works it will be pretty awesome!
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inonickname
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If you want to do some math (seen as it's a school project) give me a bell and I'll be happy to give you a hand.
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shardbearer
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For remotely activated, use a sprinkler valve and leave the solenoid pilot valve on.
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8tonsemi
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You will need at least 50 PSI.
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Technician1002
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^^^^ only with a restrictive valve. Much lower pressure can reach that far.
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